Articles
Let It Not Be Named Among You
Let It Not Be Named Among You
Paul writes: "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints" (Eph. 5:1-3).
Commentators struggle with the particular phrase: 'let it not be named among you'. Most agree that it doesn’t mean simply that such cannot ever be mentioned for that would exclude even the condemnation of such and Paul would be violating his own ‘rule’ in the following verses.
It seems rather to indicate that we ought to live such lives of sexual purity that our reputation would preclude people from associating such activities with us. God forbid that some would actually be guilty of such. I think that there are several points in this chapter that would help us to be of such character.
We are to be positively FOR purity. Often times the best defense is a good offense. To avoid fornication we find a wife/husband and are dedicated to that relationship (1Cor. 7:1-2). Within that relationship such sexual union is exalted and praised. "Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous” (Heb. 13:4). Let us openly be known by both our words and our actions that we love our mate.
To be known for taking such purity seriously will mean that there is no ‘crude joking’ about such matters (Eph. 5:4). Indeed there are innumerable ‘jokes’ about such sexual immorality, but when the reality of God’s wrath upon any that indulge in such is considered, there is no humor in such. Instead of listening to such crude attempts at humor we could respond simply that ‘I do not find such matters funny’. It is no light thing to joke about God’s moral code. All such joking dilutes the very warning against it. Such diluting of God’s judgment only emboldens people to engage in such sinful activities.
In light of the above, we should find ourselves abhorring all such activity. This of course would mean that tv shows, movies, books, tv personalities, etc. that depict such would be abhorred by us. Yet, to the contrary, we have invited such into our daily thoughts by watching and reading such. We often then openly discuss such with our co-workers and friends without a hint of indignation and disgust. I fail to see how this fits the picture of abhorring that which is evil (Rom. 12:9).
Paul said not only that we would have no part in partaking of such we would expose and condemn such. "Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them” (Eph. 5:11). Yes, the world will probably paint us as ‘prudes’, mark us as objects of scorn and ridicule, and even shun us as friends, BUT sometimes we simply must choose which side of the fence we are going to live on.
Hugh DeLong
